This secret to success may be obvious, but for those of us with a chronic health condition it’s trickier than it seems.
Taking care of yourself means making sure you indulge in all those areas of self-maintenance that will keep your body operating in the best condition possible, not only in the short term, but in the long run as well.
Most people with a chronic illness, actually have more than one disease – making self-care complicated. On top of that, many of us spend so much time taking medication, going to the doctors, doing lab tests and all the other fun things that come with a chronic health condition that we can get tired of dealing with other aspects of self-maintenance.
After spending a day at a hospital getting your insides poked at, or an evening at physiotherapy, it can be tempting to let other self-care issues slide – whether it’s brushing your teeth, eating a healthy meal or exercising your mind.
Those of you who are reading this are probably aware of the areas you regularly let slide. I won’t spend a lot of time giving more examples because you don’t need them.
Just ask yourself this. What is one healthy self-care habit I should develop in the next 21 days? Once you have your answer you just need to start doing it regularly. In 21 days you won’t have to think about it anymore. It will become part of your routine.
If you missed them, here are the first five secrets:
- Forgive yourself
- Go with the flow
- Forgive others
- Cultivate good relationships
- Allow yourself to give and receive help
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